No Matter What
by S. Snowflake
Summary: A Nightmare Before Christmas songfic using lyrics from Beauty and the Beast's "No Matter What." The lesson of this ficlet? Good fathers will always be there for their daughters, no matter how strange they are, and no matter what strange world they occupy. Sweet and simple story with an original character and a powerful dedication.


_Author's Note/Disclaimer: Happy Halloween, everybody! I'd like to thank my watchers and readers in advance for voting on my profile poll so that I created this story for Halloween (and I'll remind everyone that my Christmas special vote is still on my page), as I almost would have shelved this sweet project. You see, progress wasn't made with this story until a rather recent, tragic event happened in my family that you'll understand better at the end (no peeking, you sneak!). Thank you all also for letting me revisit my first original character and remember why my pen name is still devoted to her. Lastly, I do not own "The Nightmare Before Christmas," Jack Skellington, or the song "No Matter What" from the Broadway musical "Beauty and the Beast." The two former belong to Tim Burton and now they all fall under Disney as well.  
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_*S. Snowflake.

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_**No Matter What**_

**-A Nightmare Before Christmas Story**

Young Star Skellington never seemed to get a break. Being the eldest child of the Pumpkin King and Queen, she was expected to take on the responsibility of leading Halloween Town when she came of age. But how could she, one of the least scary ghouls in Halloween, become queen one day? She couldn't scream or cackle to save her afterlife, and was already behind in screech practice. Worst of all though, every little devil in Halloween Town mocked her for being too 'sweet' of a princess.

One lonely evening, Star found her father reading a ghoulish book of the dead in his Halloween study. Since Star was not very good at silent stalking and her father was an expert at hearing things that go bump in the night, he heard her immediately.

Star hesitated, but finally squeaked, "Papa, do you think I'm…odd?"

Jack smiled. "Well, of course you're odd. All Halloween creatures are odd."

"No, no, Papa. I mean, do you think I'm…_different_? You know? -From the other monsters?"

"Oh, so that's it?" Jack asked before reaching down and putting Star in his lap. "Now where would you get an idea like that?"

"_No matter what you do,_

_I'm on your side._

_And if my point of view is somewhat misty-eyed,_

_There's nothing clearer in my life_

_Than what I wish and feel for you,_

_And that's a lot,_

_No matter what."_

"I dunno," Star answered, "It's just that, well, sometimes people talk about me."

"Well, they talk about me too, Star."

"But you're the king, Papa. They love you."

"Not everyone, Star. Some people in Halloween Town still wish I'd never found Christmas, and some people will always think that I'm odd for liking Christmastime so much."

"_No matter what they say,_

_You make me proud._

_I love the funny way_

_You stand out from the crowd…"_

Star frowned once more. "I just wish…"

Jack leaned over closer to his daughter. "You wish what, little goblin?"

"Well, I just wish I was scarier. I feel so alone," she muttered.

Jack grinned a skeleton grin and lightly picked his daughter up in the air. She may not have been a teeny goblin anymore, but in the long arms of her father, she felt small and protected.

"_Now some may say_

_All fathers just exaggerate_

_That every daughter's great,_

_But you are."_

"You're never alone, and never different," the Pumpkin King said to her, patting her patch of ragged red hair. "-And who knows? Even if you never become the most terrifying ghoul in Halloween, there are lots of other gifts that you can use to be a good leader."

"_And every daughter tends to say_

_Her father's tops._

_She pulls out all the stops_

_To praise him,_

_And quite rightly…"_

Jack then placed Star back on the ground and she hugged his leg. The Skellington child hugged his leg and was about to leave the room when she turned around in the doorway.

"Papa, _what _other gifts do I have?" she asked.

Jack shook his skull and turned back to reading his book. "That, my little goblin, is a question only you can answer."

"_No matter what the pain,_

_We've come this far._

_I pray that you'll remain_

_Exactly as you are…_

_You're never strange,_

_Don't ever change._

_You're all I've got,_

_No matter what."_

_**The End.**_

_-For my father, Loren Lewandowski_

_1959-2010._


End file.
